


bang, bang, bang (this time we win)

by reinashards



Series: in this house of gose [1]
Category: SEVENTEEN (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Aggression, Based on GoSe's Bad Clue #1, Explicit Language, Implied/Referenced Abuse, M/M, Mental Health Issues, Minor Character Death, Minor Choi Seungcheol | S.Coups/Yoon Jeonghan, Minor Jeon Wonwoo/Kim Mingyu, Non-Graphic Violence
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-02
Updated: 2020-10-02
Packaged: 2021-03-07 20:20:42
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,573
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26773549
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/reinashards/pseuds/reinashards
Summary: “I don't trust you. Not a single, tiny bit; not at all.” Wonwoo called him out suddenly. “You've said this before, that it would make the most sense for us to join forces because we both want the same thing; the downfall of our common enemy. But I know for a fact that it's not completely true. You and me have a very different idea of how we would like it all to end. There's no denying it; Mingyu is the weakest link but he's also your fail-safe. If something goes wrong, as all plans do, it would be easy to blame it on the troubled grandson who suffers from sleep disorder and depression. You won't hesitate to sacrifice him to save Seokmin.”Jisoo turned back around. Hmm, so the claws finally came out to play, huh? “You're right.” He replied. Jeon's a smart man, it would be an insult to his intelligence if he was to deny the obvious and make up some ridiculous excuses. “Seokmin is the only one I care about. The only one I would put my life on the line for. If it comes down to it, I would choose Seokmin over Mingyu, over anyone, in a heartbeat.”(Or the one where Jisoo, the family attorney for the Parks, is willing to do anything for chaebol heir, Park Seokmin.)
Relationships: Hong Jisoo | Joshua/Lee Seokmin | DK
Series: in this house of gose [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2050278
Comments: 19
Kudos: 95





	bang, bang, bang (this time we win)

**Author's Note:**

> Based on GoSe's Bad Clue #1 and [this prompt](https://twitter.com/reireiwrites/status/1310596908176429056): _seoksoo au in which family attorney hong jisoo is willing to commit murder to save his lover, park seokmin, from being continuously abused by his own father (and he literally gives no fucks when he’s being suspected by the rest)._
> 
>  **WARNING:** For the purpose of this story, Seokmin, Jisoo and Wonwoo are in their early 40s while Mingyu's in his mid-20s. There's still a significance age difference between Wonwoo and Mingyu. For your precaution, I would strongly recommend that you heed the tags before continuing.
> 
> **Lyric excerpts are from Red Velvet's Psycho.

**You sometimes smile at me, _oh_ how can I let you go?**

For someone who had a great talent for self-preservation, Jisoo’s sure got a lot of gall to participate in this dangerous game of chess. 

It goes without saying that he's deeply aware of the precarious position he’s in. He understood that if he ever made a mistake, his life could be terminated in the blink of an eye. There’s simply no do-overs, the only way out was either to emerge as a victor or die a miserable death. So why did he take the risk, you ask? Why gamble at all when the price tag was too hefty of a price to pay? Well, the answer was simpler than you might think. _Love_ was to blame. Love had made a once-cold, unfeeling man like him a damn fool. He, a powerful attorney to the rich (and a damn successful one at that), was acting on his emotions instead of sensible, logical facts. _By God, he hoped they were enough to get him through this._

And he owed it all to that one man who had successfully managed to thaw his unflinching heart and win him over with a single smile. It's none other than Park Seokmin, acting President of bSK's main affiliation as well as the son and heir of his current employer, Chairman Park of bSK Industries. 

"That old fool needs to go. He's been biting off more than he can chew." Chairman Park spoke for the first time since Jisoo stepped into the room five minutes ago. "Don't you agree, Shu?" 

_No, you fucking asshole, it's you who should,_ he dimly thought but was smart enough not to vocalize said opinion. _  
_

"I'll pretend I didn't just hear that." Jisoo drawled. "Plausible deniability and all that." _Also, in case, I need to bail your stupid ass out of jail for the dozenth time.  
_

"Spoken like a true champ! I know there’s a darn good reason why I paid so much for you." Chairman Park laughed like a pompous jerk he really was.

The booming laugh grated on his nerves as Jisoo forced himself to remain expressionless. He wondered how long this shenanigan would take. He’s not here to listen to one of the old man's angry tirades about his many enemies or whatnot. He’s here because— 

"Abeoji." A different voice, a much younger once this time around, chimed in. 

Jisoo turned sharply to the other inhabitant of the room. Fear started to cloud his heart, making him grew cold. _  
_

Like a gentle soul he forever will be, Seokmin gazed calmly at the monster he called his father. "I've been informed that the tender will be awarded to our subdivision company, so there's really no need to..." _Kill someone_ , remained unspoken.

 _Shit._ Shit, shit, shit. 

Jisoo straightened up in his seat, glancing between father and son. Tension was palpable in the air. _Why?_ Why the hell was Seokmin aggravating his old man like this? It’s not wise, not wise at all. Everyone knew how the old fool did not like to be challenged, especially when there's an audience. Even if said audience was just his son and family attorney.

Chairman Park’s cheery expression faded away as he stared at his offspring. “Shu,” He spoke quietly. “—leave us.” 

Jisoo paused. “But sir,” _What the fuck are you going to do to him, you literal piece of shit?_

His slight objection was overruled as Chairman Park’s attention stayed on his son. “ _Leave._ ” He repeated.

The warning was clear. _Leave or suffer the consequences of disobeying one of the most powerful men in the country._ “As you wish.” Jisoo murmured as he gave a slight bow before making his way to the door.

He didn’t spare another glance at Seokmin. Couldn't. There’s no way he can bear to see the beautiful face of his lover when he knew there’s nothing good that would come from his departure. He forced himself to walk away, as he always did. This was not his fight. As much as he would like to be the hero of the fucking hour, this was not the time. Seokmin had made his bed disastrously and now he must lie in it. When he let the door shut close behind him, the only sound he could hear is the blood rushing in his head. He ignored the questioning glance thrown by that asshole’s beloved lapdog, who’s faithfully standing guard by the door, and strode over to the elevator.

 _Damn it all to hell,_ another trip wasted just because of a single man's arrogance and ego.

\--- 

“Don’t worry about me, hyung. It doesn’t even hurt that much.” 

“Don’t lie.” Jisoo muttered. _Not to me, everyone but me._ “You can’t even wear a shirt right now because of the burns.” 

It's a sick and twisted game. If you think you couldn't get significantly hurt from candle wax, you better think again. His lover's body was littered with evidences of it. The latest addition, due to Seokmin's recent disobedience, joined the rest of the weeks-old bruises and cuts. Angry welts marred the soft skin as Jisoo gently rubbed ointment over them. It's like a bullet went through his heart whenever he'd to do this. Seokmin didn't deserve to be abused like this, especially not by a man who should be protecting him. _Fucking asshole._

“Baby, you've got to stop doing this to yourself. Nothing good will ever come from antagonizing him.”

“Well, someone has to stand up to him once in a while. Samchon is not in the wrong. Abeoji's just mad that someone got the win and not him.” Seokmin said with a pout. “I'm worried about samchon, do you think he would be okay?”

“Don't worry about others, worry about yourself.” Jisoo admonished. “Choi Seungcheol is old enough to take care of himself.”

Choi was another tenacious bastard in this game of chess who just won't die. Armed with his own ambitions and motivations, Jisoo could never find any reason to trust him, despite Seokmin's proclamations that he's a good man. He'd his suspicions about Choi for a while now, especially when recent evidences suggested a relationship between Choi and Chairman Park's bastard son, Park Jeonghan. He wouldn't trust Choi as far as he could throw him.

Seokmin grinned, pressing a quick kiss on Jisoo's forehead to chase the frown away. “But hyung, why would I need to worry with you here?”

Jisoo sighed. He feared the day when his own pool of enemies would discover his one and only weakness. Would he be able to protect Seokmin when the time comes? Would he be stronger than the weak man he was today when he'd to turn his back on his lover? “Seok, promise me that you'll take better care of yourself. Not everyone is as noble or good as you think they are. Sometimes, I'm afraid your naivety would inevitably lead to your downfall. I cannot love someone who's dead.” _I don't know what I would do if you go before me._

"Jisoo-yah, I really, really love you." Seokmin murmured. "And I will. I promise you."

They shared a kiss. Jisoo reeled his lover in, careful to avoid the sensitive areas of Seokmin's body. Butterflies fluttered in his stomach, making him feel like it's high school all over again and he's sharing a kiss with his crush for the first time. _This._ This was what he's fighting for. All the calculated, precise moves he'd made for the past two years were so that he could carve a future with his love. He swore he would do anything to keep Seokmin safe.

_Anything._

**We're** **_fools_ ** **loving each other so much, without you I feel low.**

Jeon Wonwoo was a necessary evil. 

If given the choice, he would want nothing to do with the family physician. Embroiled in an illicit relationship with his own patient; Park Mingyu, Seokmin’s nephew and son of the late Park Jun-Ki, Jeon claimed to have a vested interest in securing Mingyu's future welfare. But the thing was, when you're in the game long enough, paranoia became a long-trusted friend and there’s no way in hell would he let his guard down, regardless of Jeon’s personal motivations to see the old man dead. _Trust no one because trust can get you hurt, or worse, killed._ His guts told him that there was something else that the physician was hiding from him and since his instincts had served him well over the years, there's no reason to betray the voices in his head.

Better to be safe than dead. 

He needed to be _alive_ to have forever with Seokmin.

“There's going to be a private party at the Park mansion a few days from now. Just a couple of that bastard's trusted acquaintances and friends.” Jisoo said. “It would be a perfect time to strike.”

They were in a rented room of an unassuming motel that's located a couple of meters away from the main highway. They'd decided a long time back that these secret meetings would have to be held at a myriad of places. Never the same place twice. They needed to be vigilant. It's not good to raise suspicions. Though they were connected to the Parks one way or another, there's never really a solid reason that could explain their monthly meet-ups. Besides, the nature of these conversations was too important to be disclosed and if they were to fall into the wrong hands, it could mean a swift ending to the both of them.

Wonwoo frowned. “You want to do it then? But wouldn't it be one too many witnesses?”

Jisoo turned away from the murky window and sighed. “There have to be _some_ witnesses, Jeon. When that old man dies, who do you think would become the main suspects of the homicide investigation? Don't you know that the police will always and most certainly suspect the people closest to the victim first? God forbid they actually interrogate Mingyu. Do you think he would work well under pressure or cower in panic like he always does?”

“Watch it.” Wonwoo snapped. “He's getting better. He doesn't sleepwalk anymore.” He added in a quiet voice.

“Look, you and I both know it's within our best interests that the police do not even think of suspecting either Seokmin or Mingyu once the old man drops dead. And the best way to prevent such a thing from happening is to throw as many suspects as you could into the mix, so that even the fucking prosecutors would have trouble proving the case beyond reasonable doubt.” Jisoo continued. “Trust me. When it comes to law and order, I got this thing in the bag.”

“Alright, we'll follow your plan then.” Wonwoo complied.

Jisoo grinned. Oh jolly, everything's going as planned thus far. “Will you have enough time to get the _sugar_ ready?” _'Sugar'_ was a synonym for the poison they would use to enact the plan.

“Yeah.”

“And it would be untraceable? It wouldn't be linked back to you? To us?”

“It won't.” Wonwoo responded. “If the world of law is your domain, then medicine is mine.”

“Okay then, I guess that's about it. I reckon there's no more reason for us to meet up anymore until the actual Judgement Day.” Jisoo said as he stood up from the rickety bed. Wonwoo remained in his seat by the window. “I wish you the very best of luck.” With a brief nod, he turned around to walk towards the exit. There's a dinner date he's looking forward to with his dear Seokmin. He'd worked up quite an appetite.

“I don't trust you. Not a single, tiny bit; not at all.” Wonwoo called him out suddenly. “You've said this before, that it would make the most sense for us to join forces because we both want the same thing; the downfall of our common enemy. But I know for a fact that it's not completely true. You and me have a very different idea of how we would like it all to end. There's no denying it; Mingyu is the weakest link but he's also your fail-safe. If something goes wrong, as all plans do, it would be easy to blame it on the troubled grandson who suffers from sleep disorder and depression. You won't hesitate to sacrifice him to save Seokmin.”

Jisoo turned back around. Hmm, so the claws finally came out to play, huh? “You're right.” He replied. Jeon's a smart man, it would be an insult to his intelligence if he was to deny the obvious and make up some ridiculous excuses. “Seokmin is the only one I care about. The only one I would put my life on the line for. If it comes down to it, I would choose Seokmin over Mingyu, over _anyone,_ in a heartbeat.”

“Then you should know that I would do the same because Mingyu is _mine_ to protect. As nice as Seokmin is, I'll not hesitate to push him in harm's way if it means saving Gyu.”

“Duly noted. Now that it's all out in the air, may the best man win.”

Wonwoo's silence was the thing that ended the conversation.

\--- 

“I’m so happy right now.” Seokmin declared with pride as his eyes crinkled in a smile. “You make me so happy. I wish we could stay like this forever.” 

The sheets rustled momentarily when Jisoo sat up straight in bed and leaned his back against the headboard. He glanced at his dearest lover who was smiling serenely back at him. By no means was Seokmin a looker. Heads would not turn when he walks down the street. As compared to his nephew who's blessed with good looks and enviable high stature, Seokmin was just average. But to Jisoo, he was the most handsome and gorgeous man he had ever laid his eyes on. There's this underlying beauty of his that's indisputable. Untainted by this cruel world, he's as pure as they come. Seokmin had a soul of a newborn, pure and innocent. Forever white. He'll never ever be blemished by materialistic needs or greed. He's so inherently good that Jisoo sometimes wondered why he's with a wicked, immoral man like him.

“Baby, come here.” He tapped his thighs briefly and motioned for Seokmin to climb onto his lap. He waited patiently for Seokmin to sit up and scooted over to him. Nestled comfortably on his lap, Jisoo looked into his lover eyes adoringly as his thumb caressed Seokmin's cheek. “Do you know about this weekend dinner party?”

“Yeah, I received the invitation via my secretary but I don't think I'll be going.” Seokmin shrugged. “I promised Gyu that we could go for a drive to the ocean. You know how Abeoji's acquaintances tend to make him nervous, I thought it would be good to have him out of the house.”

“No!” Jisoo said sharply. Realizing his mistake when Seokmin flinched at the raised tone, he murmured an apology before pressing a soft kiss on those lips. “You need to be there. Mingyu too.”

“But why...”

“Don't ask, baby.” _Or I'll be forced to lie and for heaven's sake, I don't want to have to start lying to you. I'm already marked for Hell but sinning against you would hasten my departure to the fiery pit._ “Just promise me you'll be there. You _have_ to be there.”

Because Seokmin was a literal angel, he didn't argue further as he nodded his head. “Okay okay, I will. Will you be coming too?”

“I wouldn't miss it for the world.”

“Thank God, it would make the party a little less boring than usual. I hope Woonwoo-hyung can come too. I heard he received an invite from Hansol. He always manages to calm Gyu down when he has one of his episodes.”

 _Oh trust me, Jeon Wonwoo will definitely be there._ Nothing, not even bodily injury, could stop him from attending the most prized event of the year. “I need to tell you something.” Jisoo whispered. “God forbid if something was to happen to me at the dinner party, but if it did, I'll need you to—”

“What do you mean?” Seokmin interrupted, worry evident in his eyes. “Why would something happen to you? It's just a dinner party.”

“Listen to me, baby, this is very important.” Jisoo said. “If that was to happen, do _not_ speak or interact with anyone. When you're able to slip away, head straight to my office. You need to get to my safe—do you still remember the password?” He waited for Seokmin to nod his head. “Repeat it for me, baby. What's the code?”

“300918.” Seokmin whispered. “The day we first met.”

“That's my boy.” Jisoo's eyes brightened with unshed tears. “Inside the safe, there are a couple of fake passports, plane tickets to Switzerland and some cash. Take the first flight out and for heaven's sake, do not miss it. I've named you as my sole beneficiary. Once I've been confirmed...” He couldn't say it. He couldn't believe he's laying out a scenario in the event that he's _dead._ But this was part of his plan. He needed Seokmin's safe and sound, regardless of his 'dead or alive' status. “...my colleagues would begin the transfer of all my assets, including the bank accounts that I've at the Cayman Islands, to you. You would need it in case they freeze yours. It should tide you over until you can figure out what to do next.”

“Hyung, you're scaring me.”

“I know, baby. I'm so sorry for springing this on you but I need you to know. You cannot let them capture you, baby. I won't let them. Promise me you'll do everything I say. Promise me you'll _save_ yourself if I'm not there to do it for you. _Promise me._ ”

It took a few rounds of cajoling and urgent, desperate exchanges of kisses before Jisoo was able to solicit a weak 'okay' from his lover. In return, Seokmin made him swore that he would try his utmost best to stay alive.

“I will.” Jisoo promised.

**Hey now, we'll be** **_okay._ **

At long last, the day of reckoning had come for that single fucked-up soul who's been earmarked for Hell eons ago.

It was easy to get his hands on the guest list days before the event so he's already aware of who's coming. There's a total of 13 guests in attendance: the long-time friend and business partner, Choi Seungcheol; the illegitimate son, Park Jeonghan; vice-president to Seokmin's presidency, Xu Minghao; the unassuming butler, Wen Junhui; the faithful lapdog and personal secretary; Chwe Hansol; the corrupt prosecutor, Lee Chan; the greedy and crooked journalist, Kwon Soonyoung; the lone detective, Lee Jihoon; the 'not really' guest-of-honor, Chairman Park and of course, the four of them. He'd to admit that it's a bizarre mix of people from various industries and places but nevertheless, it's a welcome distraction. You can't connect the dots if there's no strings to connect them together in the first place. As far as he knew, most of these people were strangers to each other. The only connection they shared was the old man.

Seokmin was at the door to greet every guest that came into the parlour like the ever-welcoming host he's trained to be. The smile he'd on was genuine because he's truly delighted to see some of these people once again. As for Jisoo, he stayed by the fireplace, choosing to distract himself by having a rousing discussion about politics and current events with Choi and Xu. To be honest, should Chairman Park fall today; the two gentlemen in front of him could very well make it to the very top of the suspect list, right behind Mingyu and Seokmin. Appointed as the next successors of bSK Industries, it made perfect sense to want to see the old man dead. He's really glad they're here. The more viable suspects there were, the better it would be for him.

It's such a chore to make merry when there's something bigger happening at the same time but Jisoo knew how important it was to mingle with the common folks. It's critical that as many people as possible had the impression that he'd been with them one way or another. It's his safeguard, one of the ways to avoid being singled out when the time comes.

Choi Seungcheol let out a loud, dissatisfied grunt. "We should be bold and invest in that company in Cambodia! Globalization is the way to go. We cannot continue operating within the same domestic parameters and expect bSK to grow!"

Jisoo had to agree. To remain competitive, it's almost inevitable to branch out internationally but when you've someone who's set in the old ways as a leader, it's hard to move forward. "It's unfortunate that the deal couldn't come to fruition."

"Well, if not for that—" Choi paused when he saw a shift in the shadows. Jisoo followed Choi's gaze and smirked when he realized who'd catch the other man's attention. Park Jeonghan had just entered the scene, decked in his usual brand of beauty and perfection. It's no surprise how a man as magnificent and powerful as Choi Seungcheol could fall for such an exquisite creature. "I uhm...if you'll excuse me, there's something important I've to attend to."

"Of course." Jisoo smoothly replied.

He hoped the two of them would find a discreet place to fuck this time around. The imagery of their last coupling was still fresh on Jisoo's mind when he accidentally stumbled upon them the other day. It's a downside of having an eidetic memory. He couldn't erase it from his mind even if he desperately wished to.

"I would have to take my leave as well." Xu Minghao's accented voice chipped in. "I need to have a word with Hansol."

"Sure." Jisoo said.

Just like that, he's alone once again but fret not, he had the simplest solution in mind. Walking over to an unsuspecting victim, he joyfully wrapped his arm around his lover's waist. Expecting a yelp of slight outrage from the owner of said waist, his grin turned cold when he received a grimace of pain instead. Seokmin tried to cover it up by forcing it into a smile but Jisoo knew better. He bet that old fool was the cause of it.

"Tell me." He said quietly, almost too afraid to ask the reason why.

His lover tried to deflect, as he always did whenever it came to his father. "It's nothing-g, just uhm, I hit the door on my way out this morning."

"Seokmin."

Seokmin crumbled like dominoes at Jisoo's serious expression. "It's not Gyu's fault, okay! He's just clumsy, especially after taking his medicine." He blurted. "Gyu accidentally broke one of Abeoji's prized vases while he's on the way out of the study. You should have seen how mad Abeoji was, he was ready to strike Gyu down with his cane and I couldn't let that happen...so I stopped him."

"Let me guess, you took the hits instead him."

"What would you have me do? He's my nephew."

 _Turn a blind eye! Do what I would do! Do what everyone else would do if they're in your shoes!_ "Are you alright?"

Seokmin nodded. "Wonwoo-hyung helped to dress my wounds. He's here much earlier than normal to have one of his therapy sessions with Gyu."

"Show me."

"What? Here?"

Jisoo looked around the room, noticing that one way or another, everyone else was distracted by something or someone. "Let's go to the powder-room."

Together, they left the parlour in silence.

\---

When they slipped into the powder-room so that Seokmin could disrobe, Jisoo's heart was already on fire. How dare the old man lay his filthy hands on Seokmin? How fucking dare he? The last layer of clothing fell soundlessly from Seokmin's shoulders as Jisoo took in the heartbreaking scene in front of him. He couldn't help but notice that there's traces of dried blood clinging to the white shirt before it fell to the floor. His hand reached out to hover over the angry, red streaks marring his lover's back. How could a parent bear to do something this horrible and disgusting to their own flesh and blood? Sure, these superficial wounds would heal in time but there are some that don't. Some will continue to fester and infect.

"Don't feel sorry for me." Seokmin murmured in the quiet of the night. _Don't pity_ _me,_ he seemed to say. His back was facing Jisoo, making it impossible for him to see his lover's face but he knew those eyes must be brimming with tears by now.

Slowly, he touched Seokmin's shoulders and turned him around. "I don't." Jisoo whispered. "Baby, you're one of the strongest people I've ever known. You'll never have my pity. I've nothing but admiration and respect for you. I'm so proud you're mine."

Those beautiful lips trembled as a tear fall down his cheek. "Really?"

"I swear." Jisoo answered with a smile as he wiped the stray tear away. "You make me brave, do you know that? People wish they could be more like you but they can't cause there's only one Park Seokmin in the world and he's standing right here."

And that was enough for Seokmin to bury his face in Jisoo's neck and cried his heart out. Jisoo steadfastly cradled him in his arms. It really hurt. To know he could do nothing to take Seokmin's pain away. Why does God always hurt the good ones first? Why not bastardized souls like him or that asshole?

"Seokmin-ah, please don't give up. Don't let _him_ win." Jisoo whispered as he tugged his lover closer to his chest.

\---

There's no ounce of mercy left in Jisoo's soul tonight. In fact, he would show that fucking bastard the same mercy he showed Seokmin. He swore if there's only one thing he could do tonight, it's to ensure that Chairman Park will be carried out of this mansion in a fucking body bag.

That's his oath to Seokmin.

**I have never felt** **_this way,_ ** **what should I do about you?**

Like obedient soldiers they didn't know they all were, one by one, they fell into place.

It's like they're guided by invisible strings orchestrated by none other than Jisoo himself. He watched in pleasure as the entire group broke into smaller ones and even sighed in delight when Choi and Chairman Park broke away from the main party to have a heated argument at a secluded corner of the room. Choi was doing an exceptionally marvelous job of fulling the role he's been chosen for by making his usual racket. By now, it's common knowledge that the friendship between the Chairman and Vice-Chairman of bSK Industries was turning sour fast and no amount of words or money could fix that. So while the two old men continued their argument in private, the rest of the party spread out. Out of the corner of his eyes, he watched as Seokmin idly walked over to the newest arrival of the party; his dearest nephew.

(On your marks _—the victim was seen trying to loosen the collar of his button-up while starting to sweat more than usual._ )

A peal of laughter broke out from within the group nearest to Jisoo. He watched in mild interest as Kwon's cheeks blushed with embarrassment after receiving a compliment from the detective. Interesting. He never would have thought that an upstanding, moral citizen such as Lee Jihoon would be interested in a corrupted soul like Kwon Soonyoung. Could it really be that opposites do attract? It's hard to believe that anyone would bend their moral compass for a shot at love.

(Get set _—the mark knew there's something_ _honestly_ _wrong with him, he could no longer pass it off as a mere discomfort. Was it a heart attack? Was he having a stroke? His throat started to clam up, making it incredibly hard for him to breathe._ )

A group of four caught his eyes next; Chwe, Lee, Wen and Xu. Weird. What do a cold-blooded secretary, a dishonest prosecutor, a dull butler and an obnoxious Vice-President of a multi-billion company have in common to be able to congregate at a single point and mingle? It's the weirdest kind of combination. He made a note to take a closer look into that dynamic when time permits him to. If they're going to continue being around Seokmin, it didn't hurt to be safe than sorry.

Last but not least, his favorite group of people. Well, that's a big, fat lie. His only favourite tonight was Seokmin. Jeonghan, Wonwoo and Mingyu just happened to be within his lover's orbit. He watched in adoration as Seokmin burst into a smile, beaming at the joke that Mingyu shared. He's a bit too far away to peep into the conversation but he knew it would probably involve one of the many dramas surrounding life at the mansion.

(Go! _—but it's too little too late as his vision clouded and he fell to the floor, breathless._ )

A loud thump echoed.

"Abeoji?" Seokmin said in confusion and surprise as he stared at the crumpled heap on the floor. "ABEOJI!" He screamed when Chairman Park remained _deathly_ still.

The chaos that occurred after was music to his ears.

\---

Mayhem descended on the mansion like bees to honey.

Chairman Park was pronounced dead on the spot by the paramedics and so, the police and relevant law enforcement teams were called in to investigate if there's any possibilities of foul play. The ambulance departed from the mansion with a single dead body in its possession. Cho Hanjin, the lead detective assigned to the case, carefully observed the group from a distance. Something about this death was strangely odd and peculiar but she'd yet to figure out what.

_Thirteen men arrived to dine; one choked to his death and then there were Twelve._

Right across from her, Jisoo was smirking inwardly at the ingenuity of his plan. While it's important to note that the asshole's perfectly-timed demise was not the end of the game, it's the catalyst to the beginning of a new era. Now, the only thing left to do was to sit back and watched to see if he would receive his _just desserts_ or escape the gallows as a free man.

Let the game began.

\---

They took turns to be interviewed so that the police could take down their statements of what had transpired that night. Choi was picked first because well, he was _right there_ when the old man dropped dead. They couldn't have picked a better candidate than him. The rest of the pack was led to the main living room area and they settled down for the night. It's the least favourite part of Jisoo's plan; having to wait around for his name to be called upon. But then again, this was a better alternative than to get locked up in a 6 by 8 feet jail cell. Seokmin was seated right beside him but he'd been silent since the paramedics took his father away. Jisoo really wanted to reach out and take his lover's hands into his but doing so would place them under immediate scrutiny. It's not the right time to remind everyone that they were a couple. Jisoo needed to appear as impartial as possible.

"I cannot believe Chairman Park has passed on." Minghao was the first person in the group to speak out. "I just spoke to him a few hours ago about a merger and acquisition our division is handling."

Jihoon sighed. "No one could anticipate such a tragedy."

Jisoo couldn't help but raised his eyebrow. Tragedy, _really?_ That's pushing it. Almost three-quarter of the people in this room were genuinely glad (and happy) that the old man took his last breath tonight. He was never a pleasant man to be around with. At all.

"Makes you wonder if someone actually did kill him." Hansol muttered under his breath. He's the only one who refused to sit with the group, choosing to stand by the window while watching the on-goings of the procession. Out of everyone in the room, he's the one that Jisoo was anxious about. What will a lapdog do now that its owner is dead? Will he lash out and try to bite everyone in sight or wither away into the night?

"I'm curious about something." Lee Chan uttered. "Is it just me or did anyone realize how Jeonghan-sshi just disappeared into nowhere a few minutes after he arrived?"

Jisoo straightened his back as all eyes turned to Park Jeonghan, the bastard son. Oh, this was just too good. He didn't even need to sow doubt and confusion within the group because someone else was doing it for him.

But Jeonghan appeared unperturbed by the insinuation that he had something to do with his father's death. "I—"

"Stop, Han. Don't say another word." Just like that, the main focus of the play was switched to another player. Choi Seungcheol narrowed his eyes at the prosecutor. "Jeonghan didn't do anything wrong. He was with me." He declared. "And if I were you, Mr. Lee, I would suggest that you think carefully before you speak. We wouldn't want anyone to draw the wrong conclusions about what or where we are at any point of time, would we?"

If not for the sombre situation they're in, Jisoo would have snickered at the flustered look the prosecutor was sporting.

“I honestly think Attorney Shu is the most suspicious among all!” Soonyoung exclaimed suddenly, simultaneously directing everyone's attention towards him. 

Jisoo raised his eyebrow at the accusation. _Shut the hell up, you worthless piece of breathing space._ “Why am I suspicious?”

Soonyoung rolled his eyes. “We all know that Chairman Park trusted you very much. He never failed to share and discuss everything of great import with you. You're even the Executor of his will!”

"So let me get this straight, you're telling me that I'm a suspect because of my close relationship with the victim?" Jisoo asked. "In that case, I believe half of us in this room are guilty of the crime then." He looked around the room. "And Soonyoung-sshi, it's best to remember that I'm an attorney-at-law _and_ a close confidant of Chairman Park, it's a given that I would be the one to draft and execute his will. And are you sure I’m the most suspicious person in the room right now? Dare I say that out of the both of us, you’re the more suspicious one, Soonyoung-sshi?” 

Realizing he'd just made the biggest mistake of his pathetic life, Soonyoung shifted in his seat. "Why so?" 

"It's no secret that you're financially ruined. 15 years ago, when you first found out about the abuse he inflicted on his own children and grandchild, instead of reporting it like a responsible member of the press you always claim to be, you decided to extort money from him. And now, you're sniffing around here once again because you need more money. Chairman Park rejected your request a few days back, didn't he? He didn't want to give you any more blood money. Tell me, Soonyoung-sshi, what other past secrets did you want to trade for this time around?" Jisoo drawled. "Should I get another contract ready since I presume you would be aiming for the next apparent heir of bSK Industries for your next fix? I've to admit, Seokmin is a much easier target than Chairmain Park. Bravo, Soonyoung-sshi. You might actually get a payday sometime soon. I just hope you would give Seokmin some time to arrange for his father's funeral before you start extorting him for money." 

See, Soonyoung shouldn't have challenged him. He shouldn't have poked a sleeping bear with a stick. Unknown to entire group, he'd more than enough dirt on every one of them. Enough to bring either financial or physical ruins. It's one of the advantages of being a trusted (but not willing) friend of that asshole. And the best thing was, he didn't even need to look too far to get what he needed. Soonyoung might be no stranger to blackmails and such but he's such an amateur when compared to him. Jisoo watched in satisfaction when Jihoon leaned away from Soonyoung at the revelation.

"You!" Soonyoung said, unable to deny any of said facts. 

"Yes, me." Jisoo said coolly. "Anyone else has anything better to add or can we let the brave people in blue do their goddamned jobs?"

The room remained silent as he stood unopposed. Ah, he always loved it when things went his way. 

**Don’t** **_look back,_ ** **let’s be who we are (everything will be okay).**

**(A month later)**

The silhouette standing by the window of his apartment was still.

Even though his apartment was dark and the only source of light was from the moonlight, Jisoo could recognize Park Seokmin by the shape of his back alone. Or the way that chest rose up and down after a vigorous round of lovemaking. Or the shriek of laughter whenever Jisoo found the perfect spot that would turn the man weak. In short, he could recognize his baby anywhere, at anytime. Always.

He silently walked over to where Seokmin stood and hugged him from behind. He put his chin on his shoulder as he stared out the window and into the night.

"The police officially closed Abeoji's case today. They said he died of a natural cause. A heart attack." Seokmin said as he leaned back into the embrace.

"Are you alright?" Jisoo asked.

"You did it, didn't you?" Seokmin murmured. "You _murdered_ my father."

Jisoo turned his head so that he could press a kiss against his lover's neck. "I plead the fifth." He replied, voice muffled.

It's not that he didn't trust Seokmin. In fact, his lover was the one and only person he could ever trust in this hell-bound world. But Jisoo loved him too much to get him involved in something as dirty as this. Let him be the one in this relationship with secrets to keep. It's better that way.

Seokmin glanced over his shoulders. "Is it bad that all I can feel right now is relief? That all I can think about is the fact that he couldn't hurt Gyu and me anymore? That we are finally free of him? That I don't think I will ever feel sorry for his passing?"

"He's a shitty man, baby." Jisoo replied. "Don't feel bad that you don't feel bad for the passing of such a deplorable man."

"That he was." Seokmin chuckled emptily. "He's a shittier father and grandfather. And I'm not sorry that he's dead."

"You don't have to be afraid anymore."

"You silly goose," Seokmin said. "I was never afraid because I know you're always there for me."

The kiss was inevitable as Jisoo leaned forward to capture the other man's lips with his.

\---

As the movie Tazza once said, 'when you bet, bet your life'.

And Jisoo did. This was the story of how he won big. The cold-blooded brute who had hurt Seokmin since birth was six foot in the ground while Seokmin and him will be celebrating another anniversary two weeks from now. There's nothing to regret. He gambled everything he had and came out a winner.

He won. _They_ won.

**Author's Note:**

> i feel like i'd just thrown my soonhoon under the bus.


End file.
